


The Danger of Love

by Reb_Girl



Category: Outlast (Video Games)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Death, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Love Confessions, Love/Hate, Multi, POV Original Character, Violent Thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:28:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27687605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reb_Girl/pseuds/Reb_Girl
Summary: Can love reach beyond the mind of a person? What if there is a true love that shows itself in a new way besides the love of brothers and sisters? What if there is love between two people whose lives and minds are completely different?I have the answer. Before, my brother was the only important person in my life that I wanted to save from the clutches of Murkoff. In the Mount Massive Asylum, there was nothing but madness and murder. But in the midst of it, feelings arose - feelings for two people, but one mind.
Relationships: Brother/Sister, The Twins (Outlast)/Original Female Character(s), The Twins (Outlast)/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	1. The Beginning of Danger

**Author's Note:**

> My fascination for the twins has brought me to the point of writing an Outlast story with a main focus on both.
> 
> Since I haven't finished writing this story yet, characters/tags can be added or removed. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter! It may be a bit short, but it's just the beginning of a (hopefully <3) complete story.
> 
> -Reb_Girl <3

_You'll find him,_ were my thoughts as I stood in front of the Mount Massive Asylum and looked at the old, huge building. Half engulfed by darkness and adorned with only a few functioning lamps, this so-called mental hospital made an unfriendly, if not scary impression. Apart from single leaves blowing over the asphalt, I did not notice any movement. My gaze fell on the security station that was responsible for letting the employees in, but no one was outside the building. Why should they? After all, it was late in the evening and most of them were probably already in their beds.

My body, however, could not think of sleep at all. It was tense and focused on quietly approaching the front door. My plan, which I had been planning for several weeks, if not months, was finally going to be put into action today. They have kidnapped him and wrongfully imprisoned him here. He had to leave me unwanted, although I tried to save him from that. He was not as crazy as everyone claimed. They were to blame for everything. Now they will make him go insane. Just to prove that they were supposedly right about everything. But I will stop them. I'll make them all pay for locking up my brother.

"Locked", I murmured and let go of the handle of the front door. There must be another way. My eyes searched for another entrance and wandered over the railing that ran along the left wall of the asylum. _Probably long-overdue renovation work._ Several ladders were attached to the railing and thus made it possible to move over the three floors of the railing. My view fell on an open window.

"Bingo". With a victorious grin, I walked towards the railing and climbed up the respective ladders to the window. But before I climbed in, I scanned the room with my eyes. To be on the safe side, I pulled out my flashlight, which I had attached to my belt. Apart from that, I carried pepper spray and a knife with me.

When I was sure that it was safe, I climbed through the window. Immediately, the smell of blood poked into my nose, which I did not notice outside the room before. All the shelves had fallen over and broken wood and traces of blood adorned the floor. With the flashlight firmly in my hand, I crept through the room, looking for a way to the lobby. From there, I was sure that signs would show me the way to the cells where my brother could be. This place was my first clue.

"The bloodstains do not bode well. But what is good about this goddamn place anyway?", I murmured as I walked down a small hallway. In the next room, there was an open-air shaft from which blood was dripping out. Slowly, I began to get the feeling that something must have happened here. After all, I neither saw nor heard anyone. This silence even tore at my nerves.

On the other side of the air shaft, I came into a corridor flooded with light, which was decorated on one side with colored glass. "The room down there must be the lobby. So I have to go down one floor," I whispered and walked a short distance down the corridor, which was blocked on both sides before I stopped in front of the door marked **Library**.

My hands began to tremble when I tried to open the door. I did not miss the traces of blood on the other side of the corridor, which I saw from the glass pane. This kind of art did not belong to the normality of an Asylum. All this atmosphere that was in this building was no longer normal. And when I finally saw the headless corpses of alleged employees of the Asylum in the library, I knew that something terrible had happened. My stomach was spinning, so I had to put my hand in front of my mouth to avoid burping. All heads were lined up like trophies on the shelves, staring at me with widened eyes. I could not hold the flashlight on them for long. With bated breath, I ran between the shelves to the other side of the room and through the door into the next hallway without letting my gaze wander further through the terrible room. Whoever was lying there still half-dead or already decayed, I didn't want to know, let alone see.

"What the hell happened here?" I asked myself. "Did the patients all go on a rampage or what?!". Immediately the person's face came into my head, which is why I had come here in the first place. _My brother. I hope they didn't hurt him. They'll pay for it_. Around the corner of the hallway, the way was blocked again by shelves, but I recognized a gap between two shelves which I was lucky to squeeze through. A last glance backward for safety, before I finally snaked through to the other side. I hung the flashlight back on my belt, for the time being, after all, there was still enough light. Framed, partially broken photos of the founders or important people of this clinic hung on the walls. With a snort, I honored them with a short look. _Because of these assholes, my brother is here now_.

Suddenly, I heard steps coming from the opposite direction. Out of the corner of my eye, I recognized through the glass a darkly dressed person coming in my direction with a flashlight. Only the corner of the hallway separated us before I came into his field of vision. My breath became shallow, my legs began to tremble with nervousness. _I cannot lose my nerves now, otherwise, I might as well commit myself here_. On the right wall, I discovered an upright desk with the top pointing in the opposite direction. Without thinking, I leaned against the top between the legs of the desk and held my breath. The light beam of the stranger's flashlight now shone against the shelf. The steps came closer and closer. I narrowed my eyes, concentrated on not exhaling loudly. My ears listened to the slow, clumsy steps that seemed endless. My right hand slid towards the knife, ready to defend myself. My plan to find and free my brother could not fail now. Whether it was a mad patient or a still living employee of the clinic, nobody was allowed to see me, let alone catch me. My courage to come here must not have been in vain. He should not degenerate miserably here, not my brother.

The steps fell silent. At that moment, my heart was inevitably racing. The person was still in the same hallway as me. _Now get the hell out of here!_. Slowly, very slowly I opened my eyes. The ray of light that had illuminated the shelf until just now had disappeared. _But where the hell...?_ A bright light appeared from the side, blinding my vision. Reflexively, I raised my arms and squeezed my eyes shut. I was caught.


	2. Father Martin's Religion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided that I put Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 together because it would make more sense instead of uploading them seperately like I wanted to at first. It's also more reading material for you, guys.
> 
> Enjoy this chapter <3
> 
> -Reb_Girl

"And who are you, my child?"

The stranger's voice sounded old and friendly, with a soft undertone. Yet, I did not think to answer. I continued to hold my arms protectively over my eyes, blinded by the light until the stranger finally lowered the flashlight and I came out of this awkward position. Blinking, I looked at the man without hair who had discovered me after all. He was wearing a garb of a black unbuttoned straitjacket fashioned into a robe-like garment, with the back draping down to his ankles. He was also wearing dark, baggy trousers, matching slippers and beige straps around his torso and wrists, with the torso straps fashioned into the shape of a cross. His face was already sunken due to his age, his dark circles under his eyes were evidence of sleepless nights. On his lips, a light smile adorned his face, as if he was amused by my patterning.

"A priest in an asylum?"

The man gave a short, introverted laugh and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, my child. Father Martin is my name. May I also know your name?".

I examined him a second time after he asked me my name again. Even though he was an elderly gentleman and a priest to boot, I didn't want to take any risks. I was not allowed to trust anyone here, no matter how friendly my counterpart spoke to me. He didn't make a hostile or even violent impression, but it can only be a facade until he shows his true face.

"You do not seem to be a patient, but you are not an employee of this clinic either".

With a gesture of his hand, he pointed to my outward appearance, his index finger pointed especially to my fighting utensils on my belt. Shaking my head, I agreed with his assumption. _I am looking for my brother,_ whispered my inner voice.

A dark rumble and a deafening scream resounded from afar, giving me immediate goosebumps. Distracted by the noises, I did not notice the priest approaching me until he grabbed my wrist. Surprised by the sudden touch, I made a squeal and wanted to grab the pepper spray with my other hand. But my counterpart was not stupid, he raised the flashlight and hit it against my temple. The pain was so strong that even my knees gave up. But before I reached the ground, his arms slid under my armpits, holding me upright.

"I am sorry, my child. But it is the only way to get you away from this place as quickly as possible. You will understand it in time".

His words became quieter and quieter until I no longer perceived anything and it became dark around me.

* * *

"Who's this?"

"Maybe Father Martin's new follower".

"Maybe".

Deep male voices filled my ears as I slowly came to my senses. Headaches plagued me, my eyes refused to open. Instead, I tried to turn to the left side from which the voices were heard. They sounded so incredibly calm and deep.

"Is that a woman?".

"In this asylum?".

Silence entered the room for a moment until, suddenly, I felt fingertips on my cheek pushing away my hair lying on it. I had not even noticed footsteps before.

"It is a woman".

"Indeed, a woman".

 _Haven't these guys seen a woman for a long time, or what can I conclude from that now?_ Desperately, I tried to open my eyes and ignore the throbbing pain. If the two of them got the idea of trying to get into the pants of an unconscious woman, I wanted to get out of the way before they did. As soon as I took the first step into this cursed building, I realized that nothing, absolutely nothing, was normal here. This fake priest had brought it to the point again. How could I be so stupid and let the old man get so close to me?

"I think she's waking up".

"Should we let the preacher know?".

"Wait. Just a moment".

I took this opportunity to pull myself up with all my strength. My hands touched a mattress when I propped myself on it. As if in slow motion, my eyes opened while I took a deep breath and leaned against a wall behind me. The room was only lit by candles. Outside, it was now darkness brought by rain and storm. My gaze wandered to the left as I gave a bright scream of shock.

Staring at me, two men stood there without any clothes whatsoever, which explained my short outcry. They were pale, muscular, blood and dirt stuck to some places. They almost resembled each other. There was a scar on each side of their stomachs. Twins?

"She looks nervous."

"While staring at us."

The first twin had a hump-shaped head with a neutral face and missing teeth, dark brown hair everywhere except on the top of his head. The second twin looked similar but had a more stern face and messy black hair covering his entire head. Their slight deformity was probably a sign of inbreeding, and the scar was a sign of attachment.

"W-who are y-you?", I asked stutteringly, when nobody said anything anymore. I wanted to interrupt this agonizing silence because the two didn't look very friendly and their intense eyes staring at me didn't make it any better.

"My God, she can speak".

"A miracle has happened".

"I detect sarcasm".

"It was my intention".

My eyes jumped from one twin to the other while they were acting out their strange way of speaking. If they weren't so threatening to me with all their humanity as well as their masculinity, I might find their behavior amusing. It reminded me back to my childhood when, like so many times before that, I robbed my brother of his last nerve by parroting everything he said. _My brother!_

Startled, I palpated my hip. _Where is my belt?_ My gaze wandered through the room, stopped on a dresser. On top of it was my belt, next to it the knife, pepper spray, and the flashlight. Full of euphoria, I got up, forgetting the Twins who had noticed my horror. This thoughtlessness on my part was immediately apparent when I was grabbed by the arm and pulled back. The grip was strong but painless.

"What the fuck?", my voice sounded frustrated as I turned to the twin with hair who was still holding my arm.

"Do you think we're assholes?"

"Or stupid?".

My heart was beating up to my throat as I stared into their intense faces that didn't make a move. They could kill me at any moment if they wanted to. Through my eagerness, I put myself in danger, put my life on the line. If I wanted to get out alive, I had to come up with something quickly. And as convincingly as possible, because the Twins seemed to be anything but stupid.

"It looked as if she was going to attack us with it".

"I think so too".

"Shall we kill her?"

My eyes widened when the twin with hair asked this very frightening and sadistic question. His hand, still gripping my arm, slowly squeezed me. Squealing with fear, I tried to free myself from his grip, but he was too strong for me. I could not lose now. _Pull yourself together. Remember why you are here_.

"I am looking for my brother!".

* * *

The twins paused. The grip around my arm became weaker. Tears that had formed in my eyes from fear ran down my cheeks. But I was anything but reassured. Anger and frustration overwhelmed my body, my thoughts, when I said it out loud. I only did it to save my own skin. Now they knew about his existence. Now he was even more in danger and it was all my fault. They will hunt him down and kill him to watch me suffer. _I have betrayed my brother!_

"I see you're awake".

The priest's sudden appearance made all of us in the room wince. The twins took a step aside so that I could see the priest standing at the threshold completely. His hands were folded together, and on his lips, as before, a slight smile adorned his face. Even though I was inwardly grateful to him for rescuing me from this unpleasant situation, I still realized that he was the reason for all this.

"You, this is all your fault. Why did you bring me here? Were you going to let them kill me?"

"Of course not. My child, if I had not brought you here, you would already be dead".

I faltered briefly as I wanted to continue talking in rage. _Stay calm. After all, you don't want more spectators._ One deep breath was enough to calm my nerves a little and stop my body from shaking. I quickly wiped away my tears before continuing the conversation.

"What do you mean? Is there anything more dangerous than these two here?". My gaze went over to the twins, who stared at me emotionlessly with their mouths slightly open. Who knows what is going on in their heads right now. Maybe they were already planning my death.

"You are not in danger as long as you stay in this area. I will show you where we are".

With a wave of his hand he told me to follow him. Without waiting for my reaction, he went ahead. I paid attention to the twins just for a quick glance to see that they were still standing there just like before. I couldn't reach my things under their supervision anyway, so I had no choice but to follow this father.

He led us through a slightly winding hallway with doors open on both sides. On the right side, there were more bedrooms where patients prayed on their knees in front of their beds. Their shirts were partly dirty or torn. Some wore steel rings on their wrists, which could probably be connected with a chain. On the other side, there was a pool table in the middle of a room, to the right a wide sofa and a flat-screen TV. **Recreation Room**. _I_ _did not expect this._ I noticed a patient kneeling in front of the TV which seemed to be in static mode. Out of curiosity, I stopped to have a better look at him. _Why is he wearing a blindfold?_. Suddenly, he turned around, the sight of him frightened me so much that I screamed and backed off. At that moment, my legs became like Jell-O, tumbling like a dragon in the air before he crashed. I was threatening to fall when my back hit a body and thus stopped my coming impact. Leaning halfway, in a really uncomfortable position, I wanted to turn around and apologize to the person and thank them at the same time, but the sight of a naked, well-trained upper body kept me from saying anything at all. My dilated eyes wandered up the body as if in slow motion until I stared into the eyes of the twin with hair, who in turn looked down at me with his serious gaze. Embarrassed by the action, I jumped away from him, holding an arm protectively in front of me. _As if that does you any good with the two of them_.

"How long have you both been standing there?".

"Long enough".

"Keep walking".

I didn't let myself be told twice and almost ran to the priest who was waiting for me in front of a glass passage.

"Who are these people? What the hell happened to them?".

"The unbelievers", was the only thing the priest brought out before he opened the doors in front of us. A chapel came into my field of vision, with benches in the front left and right. Further back, the room opened up, an altar stood on a small elevation, candles were burning everywhere. Wind howled through the whole chapel, giving this place something eerie and mysterious at the same time.

"This is the house of God. Here you will find refuge and comfort".

I had to admit that this place has been well preserved - unlike the library or certain corridors. Whatever happened in this asylum, the chapel was spared. Maybe the priest was right, and this place would be a safe opportunity to make a new plan.

"So you think I'd be safe here?"

"But of course. Our Lord, the Walrider, would not allow any of the unbelievers to enter. Even you seem well disposed towards him, my child".

"The who? Walrider? Is this something responsible for all the chaos I have seen so far?".

"Our Lord tore his truth into the unbelievers. For them, no punishment was greater than death. Most of us were set free," he pointed to the twins who had followed us into the chapel. "Nevertheless, dangers lurk, madmen who hunt and torture his followers until they finally die with His name on their lips".

His explanation left me speechless. The forming lump in my throat became thicker and thicker, soon strangled my air. No matter how hard I tried, I could not swallow it. _Where did I end up here? What did these people experience? What did my brother experience?_

"What are you thinking about, my child?"

"I must find him..."

"Find who?".

"W-What? Nothing, no one. Is the Waldrider really the god of the asylum?".

The Father nodded. "He was created by the unbelievers who ruled here. A machine keeps his shell alive - Billy. The poor boy was dragged into the sins of those who wanted to turn their unbelief into money. Now he is a part of Him".

I stared at the old man with my mouth open, so stunned by his story that I would have preferred not to buy it. By unbelievers, he certainly meant the dead employees, but who was this Billy? Was he controlling this Walrider, now that he is part of him? Too many questions piled up in my brain that I would like to go back to bed and never wake up again. I felt like I was in a horror game that will never end.

"What are we going to do with her, Father?"

"Now that she can't go back?".

The sudden involvement of the twins tore me away from the endless thoughts of despair. Not a sound had been heard from them before. The presence of the priest at least gave me the certainty that they would not attack me. They seemed to respect him because of his position. I couldn't imagine what would happen once I was alone again with the two of them. Their lack of clothes was only one problem.

"I take her under the protection of our Lord, and you too should give her protection. After all, she has a task to fulfill".

Nothing changed in the faces of the twins. They remained unimpressed and kept their neutral and stern expressions. I, however, was glad to have heard these words. Nevertheless, the question remained whether they would stick to them. And what did the Father mean by a task to be fulfilled?


	3. Trapped Inside

So now I was trapped here - with a weird priest, naked creepy twins, and deformed patients whose sort of mental sanity could no longer be detected. I had to come up with something as soon as possible to pick up the trail of my brother. There was only one problem: the Twins, who took Father Martin's words a little too seriously and now wouldn't let me out of their sight. Since I had left the chapel, the two men followed me everywhere - preferably to the toilet, if there was one that worked. Under these circumstances, I could not get to my belongings without them noticing. Simply running away would also be nonsensical, as I would run through dark corridors unarmed and without a plan and get completely lost. If there is one thing I believe the priest, it is his warning that there are more dangers in this asylum. But I couldn't sit around here until dawn and wait for my brother to come off his own accord. Perhaps he was in urgent need of help.

"She looks depressed".

"Or impatient."

The Twins followed me to the initial room where I had woken up before. I sat in a stooped position, resting my head on my hands on the bed and staring at the same frame on the other side. Something else was not possible. The Twins stood at the door, literally blocking my exit.

"I know what she's thinking about".

"Me too. She told us."

Aware of their words, I turned to them. _What should I have told them?_ Nervously, I pressed my lips together, panicky thoughts took over my previously empty brain. I changed my position, sat up straight, and crossed my arms.

"Now she looks nervous".

"It would be an opportunity to kill her".

"The priest has declared her protection".

"It would be impolite".

My eyes widened as their topic of conversation revolved once again around my death. I knew I could not trust them. At some point, they would change their minds and murder me against Father Martin's will. But how the hell do they know what I am thinking about?

"What do you know about me?"

The sudden sound of my voice seemed to leave them speechless for a moment until the twin with hair answered first.

"Your brother."

"You told us about him".

"You are looking for him".

"Here".

I never thought I would say this, but the Twins were right. It's true. To save me from being cut open, I betrayed him. _How stupid am I?_ A soft "Oh my God" escaped me as I clasped my hands over my head and turned my gaze away from the men. Tears formed, blurring the face of my brother that was forming before my eyes. I wonder if he still looks like this? Or is he just, like the others, an unrecognizable monster-like figure without mind?

"Children, I need your help. Please come here", Father Martin's voice suddenly called out. It must have come from the chapel. The Twins first looked at each other, then at me. They seemed undecided about whether to leave me alone. But I didn't move, I didn't make any sign like I would see any chance of escaping. The voice of the priest sounded again, this time more forcefully. Thereupon, the two of them set themselves in motion, leaving me behind without a word. Tensely, I listened until their footsteps were no longer audible. 

Quickly, I jumped up and put my belt with the utensils around my waist. Meanwhile, I came up with a spontaneous plan. It was my only chance to escape from here. If I got caught, it would either be my death sentence or the priest would chain me to the Twins. Both consequences were horrible, left me with goosebumps on my arms.

It finally occurred to me that I had previously seen white signs through the window in the lobby, including that of the chapel. I just had to retrace the hallway and get down the stairs. Then at least I would be back at the starting point. Carefully, I peeked over the threshold, looking out for any creepy figures. But nobody was neither to be seen nor heard. Apart from me, everyone else was probably in the chapel. Who knows what stories this priest has to tell this time.

I put my plan into action and went in the opposite direction. At the end, there were two doors on the left side, one behind the other, the first one made of glass, the second one of bars. Fortunately, both were open. The longed-for staircase and an elevator appeared, but its door remained locked. According to the sign, I was on the third floor.

"Then quickly down. I should hurry".

I took two steps at a time until I finally arrived downstairs in the lobby. My heart was racing because of the adrenaline that was flowing through my body. The hall was not spared by the scale of what happened here. Intestines and body parts were scattered on the floor. Some bodies were still complete but covered with blood. I could not stop staring. Phones did not work on the registration, the PC remained on freeze-frame. I carefully examined the other rooms where PCs were set up. But they were either broken or secured with a password. The beeping of the phones burned into my head, an incessant noise, so I couldn't help but go back to the lobby. Frustrated, I leaned against the elevator, trying to regulate my breathing. The place was already driving me crazy, and I didn't get any closer to my brother. _Should I just give up?_

A scream interrupted my train of thoughts as a halfway human-looking patient passed me and ran up the stairs. The question of why he was running away screaming for help became superfluous when a big, fat man came from the same direction, his face half mutilated.

"Little Piggy."

His gaze fell on me, his pace accelerated. Without thinking twice, I also ran up the stairs to the second floor. I could only catch a glimpse of the fleeing patient as he disappeared through a door at the end of the hall. The door to the hallway was locked when I shook it in vain. _That son of a bitch locked it!_ I had no choice but to run through another door. The hallway was only lit by a small, weak lamp, which made it very difficult for me to see. The footsteps of my pursuer came closer, while I searched in vain for a way to escape. At the end of the corridor was a small passage, but it led to a dead end. _No, no, no!_

An open-air vent came into my field of vision, underneath it was an overturned coke machine. I climbed in as fast as I could. While pulling up I tugged at my last strength. Something grabbed my leg and wanted to pull me out.

"We have to contain it."

I screamed like a madwoman, kicking my feet wildly. My pursuer was breathing heavily, snorting like a pig. He gave a brief scream when my free foot hit his wrist, releasing my other leg. I crawled through the vent on all fours until I could no longer hear him. Tears flowed over my face, my body trembled, drops of sweat lay on my forehead.

"What kind of goddamn place is this? Where have they taken my brother?"

For a moment, I clasped my ankle, but I didn't feel any pain or anything else. That was one of the dangers the priest spoke about. A fat guy, covered in blood, who demolished half of his face. Who knows what else awaits me. I didn't even want to think about it.

I had no choice but to crawl through the vent and hope that this monster would not be waiting for me at the other end. My flashlight lit up the very dirty shaft a little. Now and then, I passed small barred windows, which mostly gave a view into the toilets. At the end of the air vent, I jumped down into another corridor, which was completely dark. As soon as I landed on my feet, I heard voices, screams, footsteps. Automatically, I pulled out my pepper spray and kept the flashlight in my other hand. Carefully, I peeked around the corner when I arrived at the end of the small hallway. There was some light burning there, the walls were just plaster or concrete. The smell of blood and other things that I didn't want to describe came into my nose. Further ahead, a grid wall seemed to run along. On the other side, I recognized rubber cells. The closer I got to the grid wall, the more I became aware of the block I had landed in. When I finally looked down and saw patients wandering around there, one thing was clear to me. I ended up in the Prison Block.


	4. Prison Block

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've decided to publish two chapters in a row since both aren't very long and I wanted to give you more content to read.
> 
> Enjoy <3
> 
> -Reb_Girl

So this was the Prison Block. I should act inconspicuously - who knows what kind of figures are running around here this time. After all, you don't get into a cell for anything. The wing here consisted of two floors, with cells above and below and connected by a staircase. Below, a few patients were walking around, either talking to themselves or roaming around without participation. But I should not underestimate them either.

First, I had to go to the other side of the wing to have a look into the cells. I knew that my brother was considered dangerous when he was taken away. Therefore, I was sure that he could be accommodated here. Maybe he was even still here. The side of the bars I was on was half destroyed. The floor on the right side was partially collapsed, only a single edge allowed the way across. The gate in front of me was locked, but behind it, the floor was undamaged and led directly to the other side. I pulled out my knife, hoping to be able to pick the lock. Before that, I had only seen such actions on television, so there was little chance that I could ... Done!

The squeaking of the gate made me wince, but no one else seemed to care. Everyone here was absent. So I scurried over to the other side. Most of the cell doors were open, inside there was nothing but a cot and maybe a toilet. I wanted to spare myself the sight of that, the smell alone caused a lump in my throat. I also looked under the bunks, but apart from puddles of blood or indefinable intestines, I found nothing. Again and again, I looked around, listened for approaching steps, paid attention to the voices of some of the patients who were talking crazy stuff like "Too many voices in my head" or "He will find us, torture us, kill us". Still, it created a shiver that ran down my back.

A cell on the upper floor, however, offered something creepy as I peeked through the window. The word **Walrider** was written in blood on the walls, including the word **RIP** permanently. In between, words had been scribbled in pencil, even small drawings. I wanted to take a closer look at them, but the door was locked. I concentratedly squeezed my eyes together, hoping to get a more precise focus of the scribbles. I recognized the words **Lies** , **Injustice** , among others. One sentence in particular caught my attention: **I AM NOT CRAZY**. Of course, many in this asylum might think so, but this statement undoubtedly sounded like my brother. Next to it was a bloody handprint, which, however, upset me. If he wrote this message and left the print, it was not for any reason. The dried blood revealed his condition, his pain, his suffering. I had to find him.

"We shouldn't have left her alone".

"We certainly shouldn't have".

These deep familiar voices sent me into a brief state of shock. They came closer, could see me at any moment as if I were on display. _What are these two doing here of all places?_ I looked over to the other barred door and recognized moving shadows on one wall. Quickly, almost tripping over my legs, I hid in a neighboring cell under the bed when the Twins came around the corner. One of them was jolting at the barred door.

"Locked".

"That's a problem".

While I listened with one ear, I convulsively tried to block out the large puddle of blood in front of me, which caused a certain choking sensation in me. Protectively, I put an arm around my mouth and nose area.

"She will look for him".

"That is what the priest said".

"Fulfill her task".

"Should we have told her about him?"

"Then what would have happened?".

Again this fulfillment of a task. And by **him** they surely meant my brother. After all, they knew about him because of me. But the last part of their discussion worried me. What did they know about him? I couldn't imagine that my brother had talked to anyone from this asylum, let alone about his life. He had always been a bit withdrawn, and besides, he did not belong here. He was not at all comparable to these people.

Carefully, I peeked out from under the bed, my gaze turned to the barred door. _They are gone? How quiet are they?_ I straightened up and stepped out of the cell. There were other cells below me, but I was overcome by the feeling that I should not stay here any longer. At least, I had proof that my brother had been here and could still be in the asylum. One less reason to give up hope.

Suddenly, something grabbed me from behind, his hands around my neck. Startled, I cried out, gasping for breath. Reflexively, I kicked back with my legs, hitting the attacker in the knee. He let go, hissed at the pain. I wanted to run to the open barred door, but my attacker was faster, pulled me back by the arm, so I stumbled back and landed on my butt. He turned me towards him with a sudden jerk, his face was hardly definable. He looked more like a mummy than a man.

"Help me. You must help. The doctor... He's dead!".

"No, no. Let me go!".

I hit him with my fists when he tried to pull me behind him. A well-aimed blow in the pit of my stomach temporarily immobilized me, causing me great pain, which made breathing almost impossible. While I was holding my stomach, the patient pulled me down the stairs and aimed for an open cell whose window was covered with blood. The patients around us - most of them did not notice the drama, few looked over, but no one made any effort to help.

"He is dead, he is dead. It must stop", the figure in front of me murmured, now pulled me into the cell. If I do not act now, he will kill me. With a jerk, I pulled myself out of his grip, could barely get up when he pushed me against the next wall. I stepped on something slippery. A quick look down was enough to almost make me puke. The patient was now standing in front of me, his entire skin displaced, only one eye visible. Again he grabbed my neck, this time he squeezed it much more.

"It must stop... the only help".

Hysterically, I gasped for breath, tried in vain to push him away from me. My right hand wandered down, touching my belt. Without hesitation, with blurred vision, I grabbed the can of pepper spray, pulled it out, and pressed the shutter button. Immediately, he let go of me, held his hands in front of his eye, screams escaped from his mouth. It allowed me to run away. I practically jumped up the stairs, circled the upper cells, and disappeared through the barred door. I turned around, saw my attacker running up the stairs with two others, shouting threats and swearings. Panicked, I looked to the left, seeing this destroyed path as the only exit possibility to get away from them faster. They came closer, got louder, that it echoed throughout the block. A short run-up and I jumped over the hole, the already broken concrete floor gave way. Without thinking, I ran to the other side of the grating where the twins were standing before.

When I was sure that they could not follow, I dared to turn around. Another part of the floor was destroyed, leaving a now larger hole that could no longer be jumped over. The falling concrete caused a commotion among the patients, who were now walking back and forth in confusion. I didn't want to know if someone was buried under it. My pursuers stood at the other end, staring at me in silence. Even though they had no way of following me, the feeling of panic still prevailed in me. Without paying any further attention to them, I continued on my way, wiping the fear of sweat from my forehead. My irregular breathing was uncontrollable, as was the trembling of my body. And I knew that the danger was not over - not by a long shot.


	5. Recreation Area

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back from a break. This chapter was already written, but since I had a writer's block on my current chapter (which would be Chapter 7, I think), it took me some time to get back into writing & publishing at all.
> 
> Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a good start in 2021!  
> Stay safe!  
> Reb_Girl <3

I wandered breathlessly through the bloodstained corridors, sometimes decorated with corpses. From time to time, I saw still living patients, who fortunately did not pay attention to me. My thoughts resembled a carousel that never came to a standstill. I knew that I could run into the twins' arms. I knew that I could meet this huge monster. I knew... What did I know?

"You don't know anything," I said angrily to myself, looking down at my dirty, bloodstained shoes. I have seen so much blood that it did not bother me in the least. Still, I knew that one day my blood would stick to them, too. It was only a matter of time until my life would come to an end here. _And I must abandon my brother_. My brother... A few years younger than me, although he acted like an older brother, he was always there for me when I had sorrows and worries. Just one of the many things he did for me. When Murkoff took him away, I was on my own for the first time. A change that nevertheless gave me the courage to show up here. Now I wish the opposite had happened.

A double door came into my field of vision, above it the words **Recreation Area**. It went outside, but freedom did not mean it at all. Barbed wire fences, high walls, other unknown buildings gave this recreation area a feeling of further trepidation and captivity. The storm, which had already subsided, left behind large puddles of water and branches lying around. The sky was now partly cloudy and the moon shone through. It did not give much light, but the outdoor area contained enough functioning lamps.

A repetitive, muffled sound put my body on alert. It was nearby. With light feet, I crept along the wall until I discovered a locked lattice door. On the other side, further away, someone was staring focused at a basketball hoop. In his hands, he was not holding a ball suitable for it, as it was usual for basketball. The head of a patient, frozen eyes, pale skin. I could not look any further without feeling disgust and pity at the same time. This person could have lived, but he was killed by people of his own kind. People, patients, who have experienced the same thing, but their destroyed minds are to blame. What did Father Martin say again?

Voices could be heard from afar, but I had to venture through the labyrinth of bars to get ahead. The further I went, the denser the voices came. One of them seemed frightened, shaky, almost too quiet to understand anything. The other, on the other hand, was loud, full of energy, even sounded distinguished. A sudden scream and the approach of dull steps made me flinch for a moment. Seeking help, I looked left and right for a hiding place until I finally crawled under a complete picnic table, which stood away from the passage. The groaning of the persecuted person grew louder, the clanging of the barred doors could be heard until I caught a brief glimpse of his shadow. His pursuer was close behind him, shouting vulgar words.

"You little bitch. You are not worthy to carry my children. Come here, you whore!".

I did not recognize much because of the current scarcity of light. In any case, the silhouette of the man showed a large, well-built body, holding something sharp in his hand. I knew immediately what it was all about. My body trembled at the thought that I might encounter this aggressive man. Killing certainly seemed to be an ease. I could not imagine what would happen to his victim. I tried to get rid of all this confusion by shaking my head. What was I thinking? Of course, madness holds the scepter in its hand, decides between life and death.

After what felt like an eternity, I dared to come out of my hiding place, stuck my head out to check the situation. No one could be seen or heard, an uncomfortable silence was the only thing that filled the area. While I was still trying to crawl out from under the table, suddenly two large, bright shadows appeared out of nowhere and came straight at me. Holding my breath, I made myself very small, knowing the identity of the two people who stopped in front of the passage.

"The groom did not seem to be very enthusiastic about his bride".

"She will hang soon, as will all the others".

"All the other brides".

"And if he finds her?".

"Then her fate is sealed".

These words made my back run cold. So this man was called the groom, whom I should better never meet. Another madman among many. But this one definitely belonged in the danger level blood red. Someone who hangs his people - his brides?

I wanted to turn my gaze back to the twins, but to my great horror, which I accompanied with a scream, I saw their squatting presence right before my eyes, their faces only a few inches away from mine.

"She really thinks we are stupid".

"I think so too".

"We should have killed her right away".

"One less worry".

Horrified at their indifference, I crawled backward, banging my head on a beam. _Damn. I have to get rid of them_. With a face in pain, I stood up and faced the twins, who in turn stared motionlessly at me with their horrible expressions. They probably didn't know any other expression, maybe this place made them almost emotionless. The two of them blocked my exit, made it impossible for me to escape - if there wasn't a hole in the grating a little further on, which could serve as an emergency exit.

Without hesitation, I aimed for the hole, jumped through it with my head retracted, and ran in the originally planned direction. I knew that I would have enough of a lead because of the twins' leisurely pace. The only question is for how long. Every door I opened led to a dead end. Slowly, I ran out of options, because the passage itself soon ended with a closed door. I risked a quick glance at the back, but the twins were not in sight yet. To my right was the last door, which fortunately led further through the recreation area. Again and again, I looked around, after all, there might be other armed patients here. I directed my flashlight into every dark corner that was not illuminated by the sparse light. My breathing became more irregular the further I ventured through the areas, knowing about my pursuers. A crow flying by and drawing attention to itself almost gave me a heart attack as I howled in shock.

Again, I found myself in an area, in the middle a picnic table, behind it a lattice door. On the left was an already open passage, but I decided to use the, luckily, open door. Trying to close it again quietly didn't work so well because of the squeaking, but I didn't want to waste my thoughts for a second on the twins who might have heard it.

With quiet steps, I walked along the path, left and right nothing more than the walls of two buildings, which were connected above me with a lattice bridge. The temptation to climb up there and find a possible escape route was big. But so was the danger. My pursuers could be right behind me if both doors were locked. But I had to take the risk if I wanted to have a chance to continue my brother's search.

To get to the crosswalk, I had to climb up a rusty ladder, some rungs missing. This was probably the real danger of the impending escape. It was not high, but I didn't want to fall either. An icy cold ran through my fingers when I touched the rungs. I took another deep breath before I started climbing. Caution was required, after all, I wanted to reach the top safely. Behind me, I suddenly noticed a squeaking sound. _The twins! Fuck caution!_ Like a robot, I climbed up the ladder, thanking God for every rung I passed. The bridge came closer, the rungs became fewer, light at the end of the mad tunnel.


	6. An Endless Fall

It all happened so fast that I could only give a bright scream. Before my eyes, the light at the end of the tunnel disappeared, the confidence to find my brother after all. My arms, which had been stretched out before, whose hands had held on to the last rung, fluttered sideways in the air. My legs, whose feet had lost their grip due to a broken rung and were hanging in the air afterward, were now as if stunned. The only sound anyone could hear in the entire area was a hysterical scream. A scream full of fear as I fell down the previously climbed height and threatened to hit the hard stone. The fall itself seemed like an eternity that I had enough time to close my eyes and say a prayer. _Dear God. Please do not let me die!._

But my body did not touch the ground. It remained in the air, held by two strong arms, which I felt at the back of my knees and my back. My legs dangled in the air, my left arm hung limply down while my right arm lay between my body and his. Touching warm skin briefly gave me the feeling of being in my brother's arms. His body sprayed with warmth, which was especially beneficial in winter, as my body was mainly surrounded by cold. He gave me his big teddy bear hugs when I was freezing. His warmth spread to me and transmitted all my feelings to me: Security, safety, trust. If only it was my brother who caught me.

As I opened my eyes, I suddenly realized that my wish was far, far away from reality. Two brown eyes were staring at me, that corresponding serious face more than familiar to me. For the first time, I withstood his intense gaze. His eyes were small, his eyebrows thin and slightly curved. They gave his eyes a certain expressiveness, if only because he pulled them together all the way. It felt like he was looking through my eyes and into my soul. But what did he see?

"Well caught"

"Thank you, I know."

The sudden appearance of the bald twin brought me back to horror-driven reality, knowing that I would fail to escape again. I looked up the ladder, the place of my fall still clearly visible. Between the beginning and the end, there were even more rungs missing. Further climbing was impossible. Frustrated by this realization and knowing that I was still in the arms of the twin, I tried to free myself and push him away from me. But my rather petite body had no chance against his strong, muscular body. Besides, he did not attempt to put me down.

"She gives up quickly".

"Has no more strength anyway, absolute flyweight".

Their mockery towards me made my blood boil. They acted as if I was completely at their mercy, as if they had power over me. I never liked the thought of being inferior to a man and playing the helpless woman. Even before that, I wanted to prove to everyone that I was different. My brother used to tease me about it when we were little. But it never found a good end for him. Now that the twins made it the same for him, I felt a certain pain in my heart.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?!", it suddenly burst out of me, so I shut my mouth in fright. I should be glad that they were there at the right time and that the twin with hair caught me. I did not want to imagine what would have happened to me otherwise. Nevertheless, I felt anger inside me to see parallels between them and my brother. I blamed them for it.

The twins did not answer. Instead, they both turned around synchronously, the bald twin leading the way. Only now did I notice that he was holding two machetes in his hands. His brother must have pressed them into his hand when he tried to catch me. They went halfway back the way I had fled before but then took a different direction. It led to a back entrance of a building we entered. The farther the twins went, the more I had the feeling that I was all alone with the two of them. No one was to be seen, the building seemed deserted. The only thing I heard was plaster falling off the walls. I could only ever take a quick look into open rooms, some of which had been preserved in their complete state. It made you feel as if there had been people here recently who suddenly had to leave the building.

The twins brought me into a dark room full of metal beds whose mattresses definitely saw better days. Apart from the few pieces of furniture, on which there was a thick layer of dust, there was also a barred window. _So no exit to the outside_. I was rudely put down on one of the mattresses, which I acknowledged with an offended snort. Protecting myself, I put my arms around my bent legs and watched the brothers, who in turn stared at me. In the meantime, my rescuer had his machete back, hitting his palm with it several times.

"Someone must prove his strength," I murmured, but loud enough for his ears. I didn't care about anything anymore, because it can't get any worse. It was obvious - they wanted to prevent my brother's rescue by taking me out first. After all, there were murderers standing before me, no matter how hard I tried to suppress it.

"What shall we do with her?".

"She is still looking for him".

"Maybe we should help her".

"Maybe we should".

There was silence. During their conversation, their eyes never left me for a second that it was already scary. But the whole place and the whole story was uncanny, so this thing didn't matter anymore. With every breath, my ambitions and adrenaline disappeared more and more. Of course, I was glad to get away without any damage, but again I was plagued by doubts. Why should I trust them both? Two men, twins, good physique, lack of clothes, killers. What is trustworthy about that?

And yet... yet, I had no other choice. My initial courage to find my brother on my own and complete the plan had been nothing but pure childish faith. Through my brother's research, I noticed some of the unpleasant things Murkoff had done: To disguise themselves as a charity organization in order to raise money. Performing tests on living patients who probably didn't even survive all of them. But I had no idea what the extent of this had caused: deformities, delusions, mind thefts... and this creature they called the Walrider. Now, the place was in chaos, the rebellion of the patients had begun. If I ever want to get out of here alive with my brother, I'll need help. Probably no one with a perfect mind was left alive - even I was already doubting my own.

"I think she has lost her voice".

"Or maybe a deep thought".

The voices of the twins still standing before me released me from this thought carousel. With an uncertain expression on my face, I looked at them both - the bald one had already averted his gaze, his brother kept looking at me, scratching the back of his head. He caught me - saved me from a hard, painful impact. Something I never expected, neither from him nor his brother. Something...human?

"You think a lot, don't you?" he suddenly asked, without any further comment from his brother, which made me wonder. At the same time, I noticed the redness rising within me, which I tried to cover up by averting my gaze.

"What do you know about my brother?

On the one hand, I was really interested in their knowledge. On the other hand, I used this counter-question to get back to the actual topic. The bald twin's gaze wandered back to me until he finally answered first.

"Not much".

"He was kept under lock and key from the other patients".

"Too alive".

"Too alive?", I repeated his statement questioningly, but it did not take me long to understand what he meant. _Sanity!_ They had to make him lifeless as not to be a danger to Murkoff.

"Does that mean he hadn't had any contact with anyone?".

The twins looked at each other first before shaking their heads slightly at the same time. The short hesitation of the two did not remain hidden to me, yet I did not want to chop immediately. If they didn't know and perceive the meaning, they might have blabbed it out immediately without any thinking. The twins were not stupid at all.

The next question that came to my mind and whose importance remained in my heart during the time without my brother so far, made me falter. A lump forming in my throat made it difficult for me to swallow as I thought about the possible answers. As much as it hurt me, I needed to know. I had to know how he was doing. Whether there was still hope for my heart's desire to get him out of here and start a new life.

"W-what happened to h-him? W-what did they do to h-him?".

They did not answer. It seemed as if they were talking to each other without speaking words. Their gaze had wandered in the direction of the other, but they were not really looking at each other. Their behavior scared me, more scared than all the previous encounters and statements. If one thing was bad, it was their unending silence. Because of their facial expressions, you couldn't recognize their thought processes, which emotions they connected with their thoughts. So, I couldn't read out whether there would be a positive or negative answer.

Finally, their eyes laid again on my small huddled figure. The twin with hair answered first this time.

"We are not sure".

"But maybe he is part of the project".

_Project? What kind of project? Just talk already, dammit!_ I wanted to say all this, even scream out, but I kept my mouth shut. However, the thoughts kept screaming, became louder and more emotional. My inner voice begged me to question the twins until I finally got an answer. An answer that satisfied me. An answer that gives me a clear conscience. An answer that will get my brother out of here and finally end this nightmare. The twins' bodies blurred, my head touching the mattress, around me nothing but darkness.


End file.
